Warriors:Larkheart & Mossleaf: Sunhigh
by Mossheart13
Summary: After Grayfang's death, Larkheart and Mossleaf have grown apart, and dark forces are threatening to destroy the clans forever. Will Larkheart ever forgive Mossleaf for Grayfang's death?
1. Allegiances

**Allegiances **

**MossClan**

**Leader**

**Featherstar —**black she-cat with blue eyes

**Deputy**

**Larkheart—**light brown she-cat with blue eyes

**Medicine Cat**

**Dawnshrew—**dark gray tabby she-cat with brown eyes

_Apprentice Fernsting_

**Warriors**

**Mossleaf—**gray she-cat with green eyes (sister of Larkheart)

**Greenflower—**gray she-cat with amber eyes (mother of Larkheart and Mossleaf)

**Berryfoot—**cream-and-brown tom with green eyes (father of Larkheart and Mossleaf)

**Cloudstorm—**white tom with gray feet, chest, muzzle, and ear tips

**Mouseberry—**cream-and-white she-cat with blue eyes

**Grayleaf—**gray-and-white tabby she-cat with blue eyes

**Blackpelt—**black pelted tom with one white paw and green eyes

**Iceleaf—**white she-cat with blue eyes

**Suntail—**yellow tom

**Brackenflight—**brown-and-cream tom with amber eyes

**Bluepool—**blue-and-white she-cat with green eyes

**Mothbelly—**very light brown she-cat with bright pink nose and green eyes

_Apprentice Spiderpaw_

**Foxfang—**red tom with green eyes and teeth like a fox's

_Apprentice Firepaw_

**Kinkflower—**reddish-brown she-cat with blue eyes and fiery temper

**Rabbittail—**brown tom with white tail

_Apprentice Stingpaw_

**Mouseheart—**gray tom with gray eyes

**Fangflower—**tabby tom

**Apprentices**

**Stingpaw—**light brown tom with white markings and green eyes

**Spiderpaw—**all-black tom with green eyes

**Firepaw—**orange tom with green eyes

**Queens**

**Fawnfoot—**dark brown she-cat with cream muzzle, chest, tail tip, and ear tips

(Mother of Squirrelkit, Whitekit, Dapplekit, and Stormkit)

_Apprentice Loudpaw_

**Maplelight—**maple-colored she-cat with green eyes

**Rainfeather—**light gray-and-white she-cat

(Mother of Foxfang, Bluepool, and Mothbelly)

**Elders**

**Nettlestripe—**gray tom with black stripes

**Whitefur—**white-furred tom

**Stumpytail—**brown tom

**HareClan**

**Leader**

**Jaystar—**gray tom with blue eyes

**Deputy**

**Runninghare—**brown she-cat with coarse white hairs

**Medicine Cat**

**Graywillow—**gray tabby she-cat with pale yellow streaks and blue eyes

_Apprentice Foxpaw_

**Warriors**

**Breezeflight—**blue-gray tom

**Gorsewhisker—**black tabby tom

**Harefoot—**young brown tom with brown eyes

**Whiskerclaw—**white she-cat with unusually long white whiskers

_Apprentice Sedgepaw_

**Cloudbreeze—**white-blue she cat (sister of Rabbitheart and Windbreeze)

**Rabbitheart—**white she-cat with brown paws, muzzle, chest, ear tips, and tail tip (sister of Windbreeze and Cloudbreeze)

**Windbreeze—**cream she-cat with white paws, muzzle, chest, ear tips, and tail tip (sister of Rabbitheart and Cloudbreeze)

**Clawfang—**brown tabby tom with amber eyes

**Yellowflame—**yellow she-cat with splashes of red on ear tips, muzzle, paws, and tail tip

**Dewpelt—**blue tabby she-cat

**Fernspring—**tortoiseshell she-cat

**Birdsong—**gray tabby she-cat with golden paws

_Apprentice Dawnpaw_

**Ashwhisker—**ash-colored tom with gray whiskers

**Sunheart—**yellow she-cat

**Apprentices**

**Sedgepaw—**white she-cat with golden, muzzle, ear tips, paws, and tail tip

**Dawnpaw—**yellow she-cat

**Queens**

**Falconflight—**golden she-cat

**Quailpelt—**light brown tabby with pattern like quail feathers

(Mother of Bluekit)

**Moonfur—**tortoiseshell she-cat

(Mother of Cloudbreeze, Rabbitheart, Windbreeze, Sunheart, and Birdsong)

**Elders**

**Tickpelt—**gray tabby she-cat, known for her irremovable ticks (sister of Gorsepatch)

**LeafClan**

**Leader**

**Maplestar—**maple-furred she-cat

**Deputy**

**Leaffall—**tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat

**Medicine Cat**

**Shrewcloud—**dusky gray tom with blue eyes

**Warriors**

**Bluesky—**blue-furred she-cat (sister of Volebelly and Flamefur)

**Volebelly—**brown tom that won't eat any other prey than voles (brother of Bluesky and Flamefur)

**Flamefur—**red-furred tom

**Tornwhisker—**brown tom with whiskers only on one side of his muzzle

**Braveheart—**dark brown tom

**Harespray—**brown she-cat

**Morningdew—**pretty pinkish-gray she-cat

**Dewflower—**blue-and-red she-cat

**Queens**

**Poppypelt—**pinkish-red she-cat

(Mother of Volebelly, Bluesky, Flamefur, and Talonkit)

**IvyClan**

**Leader**

**Heatherstar—**gray she-cat with blue eyes

**Deputy**

**Ivyleaf—**tortoiseshell tom with a dark ring of fur on his tail

**Medicine Cat**

**Owlspirit—**tawny tom with golden muzzle, tail tip, chest, and paws (brother to Rainspirit)

_Apprentice Thrushpaw_

**Warriors**

**Rainspirit—**blue tabby tom (brother to Owlspirit)

**Wetpelt—**gray she-cat

**Antheart—**black tom

**Dawnfur—**brown tabby she-cat

**Acornleaf—**light brown she-cat with darker markings

**Jayfur—**blue tom

**Spiritstorm—**beautiful silver she-cat

**Skyfur—**gray tom

_Apprentice Blackpaw_

**Apprentices**

**Blackpaw—**black tom

**Queens**

**Birdwing—**gray she-cat

**Whiteflight—**white she-cat with black ear tips

**Waterheart—**blue she-cat

(Mother of Flightkit)

**Elders**

**Duskrain—**gray she-cat

**WhisperClan**

**Leader**

**Fallstar—**multicolored tom

**Deputy**

**Whispertail—**white-and-gray tom

**Medicine Cat**

**Stripepaw—**brown striped tom, never got his medicine cat name since his mentor, Nestfeather, was killed in a battle with IvyClan. Finished training with Starspirit, a former WhisperClan medicine cat now in MoonClan.

**Warriors**

**Sneezefeather—**gray she-cat (sister of Whitenettle)

_Apprentice Cloudpaw_

**Whitenettle—**white tom (brother of Sneezefeather)

**Hawkgorse—**brown tom

_Apprentice Whisperpaw_

**Clawstripe—**tabby tom

_Apprentixe Stonepaw_

**Brindletail—**brindled she-cat

_Apprentice Rainpaw_

**Fernpetal—**black she-cat

**Apprentices**

**Cloudpaw—**fluffy white she-cat

**Whisperpaw—**tabby she-cat

**Stonepaw—**solid black tom with patches of gray

**Rainpaw—**blue tom with white flecks

**Queens**

**Silverfall—**pretty silver she-cat

(Mother of Robinkit and Yarrowkit)

**Elders **

**Bella—**white she-cat, former kittypet

**Pooleyes—**yellow she-cat with blue eyes like water


	2. Prolouge

Prologue

The gray tom sat over the stone pool. A white she-cat sat next to him.

"What is it, Grayfang?" the she-cat asked. The tom ignored the she-cat and stared even more fiercely at the pool. "Grayfang…" the she-cat's voice trailed off as Grayfang raised his broad head and looked up. "MossClan," he murmured. "MossClan is suffering because of me, Fernstar. Maybe we should just tell Larkheart the truth. She and Mossleaf are growing apart over a lie!" Grayfang hissed.

"It's not time yet!" Fernstar hissed back. "The Clans will be destroyed! All for the sake of two cats!"

"Larkheart is losing her kit, her mate, her sister!" Grayfang shot back. "Why can't we _help _her?"

"I'm sorry, Grayfang," Fernstar murmured. "We can't."

"Can't what?" a yellow cat appeared over the crest of the hill.

"Hi, Honeyheart," Grayfang called. "Fernstar won't let me help Larkheart."

"Helping Larkheart will _destroy the Clans!"_ Fernstar growled.

"WhisperClan, IvyClan, and LeafClan have already gone. And MossClan will be next if Larkheart and Mossleaf continue to lie and keep secrets from each other!"

"The Clans won't have a chance if Larkheart or Mossleaf dies—especially Mossleaf!"

All the while, Honeyheart was standing silently. Suddenly, she mewed, "Before there is peace, the leaders have to be their clans." Her mew was smooth, deep, like wet bark.

Fernstar looked at Grayfang. "See?"

"Fine!" he growled. "But if anything happens to my Larkheart, Mossleaf _will _die!" Grayfang stared back into the pool. "No!" he yowled. "No! Mossleaf is destroying Larkheart's faith!" He began to plunge into the pool. "No!" Fernstar's claws met in Grayfang's throat, and a fiery burst appeared where Grayfang was. He had been destroyed into nothing. Grayfang had died for a second and final time.


	3. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Mossleaf dashed after her sister. "Wait!" she yowled again. "Please!" Larkheart didn't stop. Suddenly, Brackenflight appeared in front of her. "Larkheart, wait!" Larkheart didn't yowl a response, just kept crashing through the bracken and leaves.

That night, Larkheart's mind spun. _Did Mossleaf kill Grayfang? _Her attack on her sister hadn't helped her, just confused her more. Larkheart sat there for a while, her denmates' gentle breathing luring her into the world of sleep. _Grayfang? _She was about to call out to her mate—_Crack!_ Larkheart's eyes snapped open. She smelled a strange tang on the breeze, a mix of scents put together. Separating them, she smelled LeafClan, WhisperClan, and IvyClan. Poking her head out, she saw black-furred cats streaming into the MossClan camp. After black came gray, then brown, then white. Slipping out of the den, her brown pelt half-hidden by the shadows, she glanced across the clearing. Leafcloud lay dead on the ground. Creeping to the leaning tree across from the enterance, she climbed the shaky branches, digging her claws in whenever the branches swayed. When she was at the branch Featherstar usually sat on to address the clan, she tipped her head back and yowled, "Intruders! Intruders in the camp!"

Mouseheart and Fangflower, at the edge of the warriors' den, were the first cats out. Sandpaw took a few moments longer. The apprentices had been forced to use the thorn-filled bramble tunnel, ever since the dirt enterance had collapsed on Loudpaw when she was an apprentice. The last thing Larkheart saw was Spiderpaw fighting a warrior twice his size before she was swept up into the tide of battle. She wriggled around a yellow-furred LeafClan warrior and leaped on Heatherstar, pinning her down. Maplestar and Fallstar stood at her side. "What have you _done?_"

"Created BoneClan," Heatherstar replied smugly. "Maplefur and Fallpool have helped me."

"How dare you call clan leaders by their warrior names?"

"We agreed on it," Heatherstar replied simply. "My name is Heathergrass."

"Okay, _Heathergrass,_ it's time for you, Maplefur, and Fall-leaf to _leave our camp_. With your warriors."

"I'm afraid that's not possible. Sandpaw and Shrewpaw are already dead." Raising her voice she called, "Leave the camp, or Spiderpaw dies."

Maplelight was Featherstar's littermate, making Spiderpaw, Shrewpaw, and Firepaw her kin. Featherstar looked sadly at her clan. She padded slowly out of the camp, picking up Shrewpaw's body on the way out. Stingpaw walked sadly next to Larkheart. "I've lost Sandpaw, Grayfang, and Mossleaf. What next?"

"I don't know," Larkheart replied sadly. She turned to see Mossleaf lifting a paw off of Spiderpaw. She growled something, then followed Spiderpaw. Larkheart looked on. _No! _She yowled in her head. _No! Mossleaf's joined BoneClan! _She _murdered Grayfang! _But she kept silent as BoneClan forced them out of their camp.


	4. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Larkheart couldn't believe her eyes. _Mossleaf is a traitor! I thought she might've murdered Grayfang, but she joined BoneClan and drove her own clanmates out of their camp!_ Quietly, she walked beside Stingpaw, dragging Sandpaw's body by her scruff. Her muzzle was stained with blood, and one of her claws was wrenched halfway out of her paw. _She never even got to be a warrior!_ Larkheart wanted to cry out, to wail for her dead kit, but the clan was left with a crushed leader, and no deputy. Squirrelkit walked subdued beside Fawnfoot. Dapplekit was already tired out, her tiny scruff held in her mother's jaws. Foxfang walked beside his mate, carrying Whitekit. Stormkit stumbled and fell beside his father's paws. Stingpaw dashed ahead and carried him. Featherstar was leading them across FivePines when Squirrelkit started wailing. Greenflower doubled back to pick up the tired kit.

Larkheart looked back at her sister. She walked beside Brackenflight, their tails twined. _You mouse-brained fool! _Larkheart thought. _You'll love her, and then she'll break your heart like claws rip prey. _

Mossleaf licked Brackenflight's cheek. The cream-and-brown tom purred in reply and twined his tail with hers. Mossleaf knew what he was thinking. _I love you, too!_ She thought in reply.

"Cats of MossClan!" Featherstar's mew broke the suspenseful murmur of cats. "We are about to enter HareClan territory, to seek Jaystar's help. We mustn't start a fight with any of the cats. We are weak and tired, and by going to Jaystar, admitting defeat. We cannot afford to be driven away from help if Jaystar offers it. We have no territory and no prey. We cannot stay here at FivePines, and we can't go to the lands beyond. We know nothing of it except for the Moonflame." The murmur rose to yowls.

"What are we going to do if Jaystar refuses to help us?" Fawnfoot fretted. "I've got no milk, and my kits are hungry!"

"Yes," Foxfang demanded. "And what about Whitefur, Nettlestripe, and Stumpytail? And Leafcloud's dead, and it's almost moonhigh."

"Just now, Leafcloud was killed in a battle with the new BoneClan. It is now time to summon a new deputy under the tree." Silence fell among the moon-washed cats of MossClan. "Larkheart will be the new deputy of MossClan."

"Larkheart! Larkheart!" yowls broke out within the clan. Larkheart was obviously a popular choice. Bluepool, Larkheart's former apprentice, wove around her former mentor. "You were a great mentor, Larkheart! I'm sure you'll make a great deputy!" her voice was muffled by her mother, Leafcloud's, pelt within her jaws. The old deputy's fur was ungroomed. Burrs stuck to it, and ticks. Larkheart barely had enough time to notice this before Cloudstorm blocked her view with his white-and-gray pelt. "Congratulations, kit!" he meowed deeply, before giving her head a soggy lick.

"Hey!" she protested. "I'm not a kit anymore!" Then, Stingpaw pressed beside her, purring. Then, he stopped short and his eyes clouded. "Its too bad Sandpaw isn't here," he mewed, with a glance at his sister's body, lying on the rotting leaves of FivePines. "She never even got to go to her first Gathering."

"She's watching us from MoonClan." Larkheart licked the top of her kit's head and walked away.


	5. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

**MoonClan**

** Fernstar looked at her claws. Golden flames still danced over them. With a touch of her claws, she could kill any MoonClan cat. With a screech, she leaped at Honeyheart. The yellow she-cat barely had time to flinch before Fernstar's claws hit her. She burst into yellow flame and disappeared forever. Fernstar looked wryly at her burning claws. All her life, she had secretly longed for power. And now, in MoonClan, she finally had it. **_**More power than any cat, dead or alive! **_

MossClan

Larkheart stretched in her makeshift nest. It was dawn. Beside her, Stingpaw snored. She blinked. Why was she sleeping with Stingpaw? Where was Sandpaw? Then, she remembered: the attack by BoneClan on their camp, Mossleaf's betrayal, Shrewpaw, Leafcloud, and Sandpaw's deaths, her being made deputy of MossClan. Looking around, she saw Grayleaf, Cloudstorm, Suntail, and Blackpelt around the edges of FivePines. The exact cat's she'd assigned for the dawn shift last night. Fawnfoot and Foxfang slept in one nest, their kits sheltered and warm between them. Next to them, Brackenflight and Mossleaf shared a nest, their pelts brushing. Larkheart's eyes narrowed, and she turned around.

She gently shook Featherstar at sunhigh. Soon, the MossClan leader had gathered the clan, and they were on their way to HareClan territory. They met a HareClan border patrol, but Harefoot, their deputy, was a fair cat, and took them to Jaystar. "What do you think Jaystar'll say?" Larkheart murmured worriedly to Grayleaf. Grayleaf shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know."

To their surprise, Jaystar came bounding out of the rocky cleft HareClan called their home.

"I'm sorry BoneClan has driven you out of your home, but I cannot offer you shelter here. We've had an outbreak of greencough and barely enough catmint to go around. I'm sorry." he turned around to leave, but Dawnshrew pushed her way through the crowd of cats.

"Here," she said, dropping catmint at Jaystar's paws. "That's for you. You need it more than we do, and Fernsting has more."

"Thank you," Jaystar dipped his head to the medicine cat. "In exchange, you can live on the edge of our territory at the Fernpatch. It has plenty of prey. From there to that oak tree you will be allowed to hunt and gather herbs. It has feverfew and thyme, and a few other herbs I daresay you'll find useful." he purred. "Thank you. Graywillow is dying and Foxpaw is sick with whitecough. HareClan's thanks go with you."

Mossleaf hung back until she was beside Fernsting. "That was smart of Dawnshrew, giving HareClan catmint."

Fernsting purred. "I know. Dawnshrew's the best."

"I bet you'd think that like I think Brackenflight's the best."

Fernsting purred. "I'm glad you're finally fallen in love."

"I'm betting Brackenflight will catch at least four pieces of prey."

"I'm betting Kinkflower will! My littermate's the best hunter in the clan!"

"Nobody can beat Brackenflight! He's the best hunter in the clan!"

"Not anymore, he isn't! He got a thorn in his pad the other day, and it's infected."

"Oh."

Suddenly, a screech echoed through the ferns. "Where's Squirrelkit?"


	6. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

**MoonClan**

**Five cats gathered around a moonlit rock. An orange tom spoke first. **

"**We are gathered here today, as you know, to discuss the deaths of a few of our members. Fernstar was a great leader. But she has always wanted power, and something must be done." The young cat spoke with great authority, as if the old cats around him were no more than his denmates. **

"**Loudpaw, you were destined to be a great leader. We take your word." A gray tom dipped his head to Loudpaw. **

"**Thank you, Flightstar."**

"**I also believe you'd have been a great leader. We foresaw it in your future, but Yellowjaw did not send the omen." the black she-cat shivered. "She is with Fernstar now." **

"**Thank you, also, Nightfeather," Loudpaw meowed formally to the former IvyClan medicine cat. "Your wishes will be respected."**

"**I agree," said a silver tabby. "You were a great cat, and would've been deputy if not for Heatherstar."**

"**Thank you, Riverstorm." the gray WhisperClan tom looked strangely at his paws.**

"**And my wishes go with you also, Loudpaw." a big orange tabby rose, muscles rippling under his sleek frame. His pelt was half faded, and where there should've been solid orange fur, outlines of the glade behind him showed. **

"**Thank you, Flamefire." Loudpaw dipped his head and stood back in awe. The orange tom had once been the most respected cat in all of HareClan.**

"**Now, who are your choices?" the orange apprentice demanded. Nightfeather touched her nose to the moon-washed rock. "That one," she proclaimed proudly. The tortoiseshell's reflection glimmered in the pond for a second, then faded.**

**Moonlight turned Flightstar's pelt to silver as she padded forward. Another white-and-brown pelt flashed in the pool of moonlight before disappearing. One by one, the MoonClan cats padded forward, touched the smooth rock face with their nose tip, and waited for their choice to appear, rippling like water in the wind. Finally, only Loudpaw was left. He padded forward and touched his nose to the gray boulder. A gasp sounded around the glade as Loudpaw lifted his head and declared proudly, "This is my choice."**

MossClan

Mouseheart turned towards Fawnfoot. "I don't know where she is!" the brown queen wailed. Foxfang padded towards her and set down Dapplekit next to Whitekit and Stormkit. "We'll find her," he assured his mate softly. "Some cat probably passed her to another cat and lost track of her." Foxfang's voice was steady, but his expression betrayed his worry for his kit. Greenflower and Berryfoot had padded up to Featherstar.

"Dawnshrew and Fernsting had dropped some mallow, so we put down Squirrelkit to pick it up. We were in the middle of the clan, so when Squirrelkit disappeared, we assumed another cat had picked her up. So we took the mallow to Dawnshrew, and tried to find out which cat had picked up Squirrelkit. But none had!" Greenflower's voice rose to a wail. "It's my fault Squirrelkit is gone! I should've looked farther for her, but I didn't! It's all my fault." she hung her head sadly and walked away from the group. Larkheart left Mouseheart's side, and climbed the grassy hill towards her mother. She spoke urgently to her, and Greenflower nodded. Mouseheart turned his attention back to Featherstar.

"A rescue team will go to look for Squirrelkit. Mossleaf, Kinkflower, and Mothbelly-you are it. Please bring Squirrelkit home safely." Her gaze softened, and she padded towards the top of the hill.

Ferns surrounded the "camp" wall, and a small hole that Mouseheart never would have thought of as an enterance granted the cats passage to the grassy clearing. Squeezing in next to Brackenflight, Mouseheart entered MossClan's new home.

A twisted stump filled the center of the clearing. Its roots twisted and turned, forming an indestructible barrier, moons old. A small gap on one side, just big enough for a queen expecting kits, was coated with soft lichen.

"Featherstar! Come look!" Mouseheart called. The silver leader trotted over to the young warrior.

"We can use it as the nursery," Mouseheart explained to the clan leader. "And we can use the stump above it for clan meetings."

Featherstar stuck her head into the hole once, and shook her head.

"It's too small and dark in there," she replied. "And if any cat walked over the stump while the kits were sleeping, they'd wake up." Featherstar rested her tail on Mouseheart's shoulders. "It's okay, it was a good find- I'll use it as my den."

"Thanks, Featherstar!" Mouseheart bounced on his paws. He bounded away. In the shade of an apple tree was a big holly bush, encircled by a pool of rainwater. He crossed it and crawled under the bush. Once he was past the prickly thorns, he entered a big shady clearing, big enough for the whole clan, and tall enough that a Twoleg could stand in it. _This could be the warriors' den!_ As excited as a newborn kit, Mouseheart scampered around in it. He slipped quietly out of the den, and trotted over to a small rock. Squeezing through a cleft in it, he padded into a room just big enough for three cats, and then stepped out into a clearing. Wonderful smells flooded his jaws, including the smell of catmint. _This could be the medicine cats' den. It's just big enough for Fernsting and Dawnshrew, and a few patients._ Squeezing back out of the cleft in the rock, he came face-to-face with Dawnshrew. She sniffed his pelt carefully and then picked a leaf off his fur, her eyes widening in surprise.

"Borage! We haven't had this for moons!"

"Come on, Dawnshrew, I've found something for you. Follow me." he led the surprised medicine cat into the hollow rock.

"A perfect den!" she meowed happily. "Just enough room for me and Fernsting, and a few patients!"

"It gets better," Mouseheart replied with a _mrrow _of laughter. He led her into the sun-lit clearing.

"A herb garden!" Dawnshrew yowled.

"Dawnshrew?" Fernsting yowled, sounding worried.

"She's here through the cleft in the rock!" Mouseheart yowled back. He heard Fernsting squeezing through to join her mentor. When she reached the other side, her legs collapsed under her, and her body fell to the ground with a thump. Dawnshrew eased her apprentice to her paws. "Come on, Fernsting, you know that Bluepool'll need some borage before her kits are born."

"Kits?" Mouseheart asked, surprised.

"Yes, mouse-brain. Kits. You didn't know?"

"Why should I've known?" Mouseheart retorted.

"Her belly's as big as a badger's. And she told us you're the father."

"B-but I'm not the father! Bluepool's not even my mate."

"Then who is?" Dawnshrew wondered.

"Fallpool's the father," Mouseheart answered. "I'm sorry, Fall_star_."

"How'd you know that?" Fernsting asked, curious.

"I don't know— it just comes to me."

"Wow," Fernsting breathed in awe.

"Well, I guess I'll leave you medicine cats to collect herbs." Mouseheart meowed. Squeezing his lithe body back through the cleft, he bounded over to the other side of the clearing. A cave in the ground, sheltered by ferns, took up some area. It would make a great elders' den. Larkheart, nosing through a pile of leaves nearby, lifted her brown head jerkily when Mouseheart called her name. "You think this would make a good elders' den?" he called to the deputy.

The brown she-cat murmured something. "What?" asked Mouseheart.

"Loudpaw." the brown she-cat lifted her head a little higher, fear destroying her beautiful blue eyes. Mouseheart understood. Loudpaw, Lark_paw _and Moss_paw_'s denmate in the apprentices' den, was killed in an earthfall long before he was born, when Leafcloud was still alive. Birchpool, Loudpaw's mother, was killed in the earthshake that followed, and Stormash, Loudpaw's father, was killed soon after.

"What about that fern thicket?" Mouseheart asked. Walking in, Larkheart nodded. "Yes, Nettlestripe, Whitefur, and Stumpytail will like this," she purred.

"If you like that, come look at this." Mouseheart led Larkheart to the warriors' den. A big rock sat in the corner. Mouseheart climbed on top of it, his claws scrabbling on the smooth surface of gray stone. On the top, Mouseheart's pad started to bleed. He lifted it to lick it, but fell backwards over the smooth rock instead. Larkheart gasped and hurried forward. "I'm okay!" came Mouseheart's muffled mew from behind the rock. "Come look at this."

Larkheart jumped over the half-buried stone and scrabbled over the browning surface. "This is the perfect nursery!" she exclaimed.

"And it's connected to the warriors' den," Mouseheart murmured. He twined his gray-black tail with Larkheart's light brown one.

"Yes," Larkheart meowed softly. "If only Grayfang were alive." her voice turned harsh and angry. "If only _Mossleaf_ hadn't murdered him!"

"Larkheart, is that what you think?" Mouseheart asked.

"Yes," she replied bitterly.

"Well, maybe Mossleaf did do it, but maybe you'll never find out. You can't live in the past forever. You've got to enter the future."

"And what will happen in my future without Grayfang?" Larkheart moaned.

"You're deputy of the clan and you still have Stingpaw. You have a great future, Larkheart. And I love you, too."

"You do?" she looked up into Mouseheart's gray eyes.

"Yes."

**MoonClan**

** A white-brown she-cat sat next to a light gray tom by a wall of ferns. Inside the wall, three kits played: one tortoiseshell, one brown-and-gray, and one just white. Their mother, a brown she-cat looked towards a hole in the ferns distantly. Outside, near where they were standing, a tom and two she-cats were talking in an herb garden. A blue-furred she-cat with green eyes licked a pad and looked around the camp. A silver she-cat with blue eyes was squeezing through the roots of an old tree stump. **

"**I wish we could do something to help them," the gray tom said. **

"**I wish we could, too, Flightstar," the white-and-brown she-cat meowed to the tom. "I haven't been in MoonClan very long, but even I know that we can't change the fate of the clans."**

"**I know," Flightstar sighed heavily. "I just **_**wish **_**we could."**

"**Well, wishing isn't going to get us anywhere," the brown she-cat snapped. "If only that fox-hearted fool Fernstar hadn't been so power-hungry."**

"**What is it Leafcloud?"**

**Leafcloud sighed and replied, "Flightstar, Fernstar has created a place called the Night Forest."**

"**Is it like the Dark Forest?" asked Flightstar.**

"**Kind of," Leafcloud replied uneasily. "But worse. It's the old Dark Forest. Fernstar's training cats there, but most of MoonClan has joined her. She's found out that if you kill a MoonClan cat, and then swipe your claws over the glowing fungus on the trees, you can **_**kill **_**any other cat with a touch of your claws, as long as you set your mind to it. The only way to cure the claw-touch is to eat the special fungus and a rare herb called sweet basil that only grows in Twoleg gardens." she paused. "And it doesn't work on MoonClan cats." **


	7. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Mossleaf scampered dully across the moors, sniffing every so often and calling out Squirrelkit's name. It was nearly sunset and they still hadn't found Fawnfoot's missing kit.

"Looks like we'll have to look for Squirrelkit in the HareClan camp," Mothbelly called out to Kinkflower and Mossleaf.

"Lead on," Mossleaf called back. Kinkflower just sighed. Mossleaf dropped back.

"What's wrong?" she meowed to her old denmate.

"It's Larkheart," Kinkflower replied. Mossleaf was surprised. She'd expected Kinkflower to close up. Her denmate had changed since they'd been apprentices. "I—I loved Grayfang, too, and I—I'm having his kits, too."

"_What?_" Mossleaf yelped.

"Anything wrong?" Mothbelly had swiveled around to look at them.

"No, nothing, just some chitchat flying around the clan," Mossleaf lied smoothly to her clanmate. She hated the taste of lies on her tongue, but Kinkflower had been a good friend to her; it would be wrong to abandon her now.

Mossleaf was silent the rest of the trek to the HareClan camp. Runninghare, the HareClan deputy, greeted them outside the camp.

"Hi," she meowed.

"Hi," Mothbelly meowed, mostly out of politeness. "We believe one of our kits is in your camp."

"Yes—Squirrelkit, isn't it? Very chatty. Quailpelt's nursing her."

"Can we take her back?"

"Yes. Graywillow and Foxpaw've given her some poppy seeds—she's sound asleep right now."

"Thank you for your kindness," Mothbelly meowed formally.

"No need," Runninghare waved her tail. "HareClan would never desert a helpless kit. Not as long as _I'm _deputy."

"Can we please just have our kit?" Mothbelly mewed, her tail flicking with annoyance. "We've scoured the entire territory for her, and Fawnfoot will be dying with worry."

"Of course," Runninghare replied tautly. "I'll fetch her." She vanished over a dip in the ridge. Though she was only a few moments, it felt like moons. Suddenly, a white she-cat appeared over the ridge, holding Squirrelkit in her jaws. Mothbelly accepted the snoring kit and flicked her tail curtly to the MossClan patrol.

Mossleaf turned and followed. She thought silently to Kinkflower, _Why did you have to have Grayfang's kits too?_

Larkheart snored gently next to Mouseheart when Mossleaf entered the den. She settled in the moss next to her sister. Larkheart twitched but didn't wake. As she listened to her sister's breathing, and the steady beat of her heart, she realized that this was the first time she'd slept next to her sister since before she'd fallen in love with Grayfang. _Good night, sister,_ she thought. _Sweet dreams. _

The next day, Jaystar and a few of his warriors came to the MossClan camp.

"We have an idea," Jaystar meowed. "We'll get a few rouges from Twolegplace. We can ask them to join us to fight LeafClan, WhisperClan, and IvyClan—mostly IvyClan. In exchange…" Jaystar's voice trailed off.

"We need to repay them," Featherstar meowed briskly. "Maybe hunting rights for how many moons it takes to drive them out?"

"Fine," said Jaystar. "We'll take a patrol of cats out now."

"Larkheart, Mouseheart, Mossleaf, and Foxfang, you'll be the patrol to Twolegplace. Listen to Larkheart and Jaystar," Featherstar's eyes narrowed. She added to Jaystar, "And if your Clan tries to pull something sneaky while our cats are out, you'll pay."

"I'll be leading the patrol, and I'm sure Runninghare wouldn't do something like that behind your back. You have my word."

"Thank you."

Mossleaf pushed through the cats, trying to spot the pelt she'd seen since she'd first opened her eyes. The pelt that belonged to the cat that hated her the most. Suddenly, she saw Larkheart, Foxfang, and Mouseheart. Her sister was talking to the reddish tom. As soon as she was in line with Foxfang and Mouseheart, her sister growled, "Where have you _been_?" there was a hint of a snarl in the brown she-cat's voice.

"Relax, HareClan haven't left yet." Mossleaf defended herself.

"Yes, but you can't take all day!"

Mossleaf's pelt bristled at her sister's cruel words, and she spat, "Be that way. I was sitting on the other side of the clearing." Larkheart stomped off to Jaystar. When she spoke, her voice was smooth but her tail kept flicking back towards her sister, and her ears were alert for Mossleaf's mew.

"You lead the way," Larkheart was speaking to Jaystar. "You know the territory better, and my patrol's being a bit loud."

Mossleaf's lips curled into a snarl. Was Larkheart going to make her look like the worst warrior in the forest in front of another clan leader? She did that enough inside their own clan. "Stay behind me," Larkheart's commanding mew was uttered through clenched teeth. Mossleaf didn't care. She ignored her sister and padded forward to speak to Windbreeze, a HareClan warrior near the front of Jaystar's patrol.

"Hi, Windbreeze!" she meowed.

"Oh…hi, Mossleaf. Aren't you supposed to be with your patrol?"

"It doesn't make a difference. Anyways, Larkheart's such a bossyhead."

"Isn't she your sister?" asked Windbreeze, suddenly interested. The clans were always trying to sneak a look into the private lives of important cats of different clans.

"Yeah…sure," Mossleaf replied, trying to sound as if she didn't care.

"You fell out over something," Windbreeze guessed.

"Well…maybe," the gray MossClan she-cat hesitated.

"You can tell me," the HareClan warrior urged. "Rabbitheart, Cloudbreeze, and I are very close. I'm even close to Sunheart and Birdsong. They're not my littermates, but they're still my sisters."

"Thanks, Windbreeze." By then, the cats had crossed the rabbit-filled moors and reached the thunderpath that was the separation between the Twolegplace, and the cats' home. Larkheart stepped forward and stopped for a second to sniff at something at the middle of the thunderpath. Suddenly, a blinding set of lights came out of nowhere. Larkheart froze. It was a Twoleg monster. And it was headed straight for her.


	8. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Larkheart froze. A monster approached her, gleaming an unnatural red in the yellow light.

"Larkheart, run!" Larkheart turned and looked. She knew that voice. That was Mossleaf. Her sister. There was genuine fear in her eyes. Fear for Larkheart, and for the clan. The thoughts all came to her in a rush. Maybe she was wrong. Maybe Mossleaf hadn't killed Grayfang. She wanted to press her muzzle into her sister's fur and say she was sorry for all the things she'd ever done or said. Whatever she did after, she had to apologize now. She raced back across the thunderpath. Mossleaf had sacrificed so much for her; and to repay her, Larkheart had turned her back on her sister and found fault in her for bringing home the most fresh-kill during leaf-bare. She was almost across; the black thunderpath stuff cut her pads and the acrid scent stung her nose and eyes. Just when she was a tail-length from the soft grass, a piece of Twoleg stuff floated across the thunderpath and onto her. It blocked the air. She slashed at it with her claws, and it ripped easily, continuing its journey across the thunderpath and into the hedges beyond. Larkheart got to her paws, scrambling on the smooth surface and blinking her eyes to get them to stop stinging. The yellow light pierced her eyes blinding her, and she tried to finish her journey across the thunderpath. But the monster was too fast. One of its great paws rolled over her, and the light faded forever.

**MoonClan**

** Larkheart's pain stopped. The gentle face of Loudpaw hovered in front of her; the tom she had loved before Grayfang. **

"**Larkheart." his voice was deep and smooth—the voice of a very old cat. "We have waited for this moment for many moons—the moment the truth will be revealed. Now, follow me."**

**Larkheart got to her paws. Blood no longer trickled from her lips, leaving stains on her almond pelt. "Where am I?"**

"**MoonClan," the orange tom answered simply. "You have died."**

"**No," the words uttered from Larkheart's jaws were panicked and scared. "No, no, no! I have to tell Mossleaf that I'm sorry, how much I love her!" The brown she-cat's claws slid out, and she began clawing at the ground in panic.**

"**Larkheart," Loudpaw said again. "This will be the greatest gift you have ever given to the clans. The truth **_**must **_**come out."**

**She paused and looked up, her brown face showing no emotion. "The truth of what?"**

**Loudpaw looked up at his former denmate. "The truth of Grayfang's death."**


End file.
